Shackle for kiln chain

ABSTRACT

A shackle is disclosed for a kiln chain including a U-shaped unitary body having a pair of legs equipped with eyes for the receipt of a shackle pin. Diametrically aligned slots are associated with one of the eyes. The shackle pin extending through the eyes and has a bore at one end thereof. A locking pin is in said bore and extends into the slots whereby rotation of the shackle pin causes distortion of the locking pin to provide a secure support for suspending kiln chain.

United States Patent [1 1 Smith [111 3,811,270 1451 May 21, 1974 1 1 SHACKLE FOR KILN CHAIN [75] Inventor: Floyd 0. Smith, Portland, Oreg.

[73] Assignee: Esco Corporation, Portland, Oreg.

Stevenson 59/86 2,709,616 5/1955 Larson.....= 59/86 Primary ExaminerChar1es W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Gene P. Crosby Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon &

Lungmus [57] ABSTRACT A shackle is disclosed for a kiln chain including a U- shaped unitary body having a pair of legs equipped with eyes for the receipt of a shackle pin. Diametrically aligned slots are associated with one of the eyes. The shackle pin extending through the eyes and has a bore at one end thereof. A locking pin is in said bore and extends into the slots whereby rotation of the shackle pin causes distortion of the locking pin to provide a secure support for suspending kiln chain.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION Kilns such as those used for the processing of cement are usually equipped with chain lengths hung in the nature of a curtain so as to facilitate heat transfer. Normally the chains are attached to the rotating side wall of the kiln by means of a shackle interconnecting the last chain link with a hanger fixed to the kiln interior wall. Because of the elevated temperatures encountered, the rotation of the kiln and the abrasive environment, the chains have to be changed or renewed from time to time. This has caused a problem in the past because of the unsuitability of the connecting shackles for ready disassembly. When it is considered that a large number of chains are mounted on the interior ofa kiln, and each chain requires extensive time for detachment, considerable down time of a valuable piece of equipment is encountered.

According to the instant invention, this problem is solved through the provision of a shackle equipped with unique locking pin receiving slots. The inventive shackle includes the usual aligned eyes in the spacedapart legs of the U-shaped body and with a shackles pin extending through the eyes. The shackle pin is equipped with a transverse bore at one end which receives the locking pin in a cotter-like fashion. Upon rotation of the shackle pin, the locking pin is deformed by the unique arrangement of the walls of the slots provided in the shackle leg about the eye thereof. Reverse rotation of the shackle pin results in a straightening of the locking pin, facilitating ready removal thereof and disassembly of the chain from the kiln. Further, the arrangement of the side walls in the locking pin slots permits ready reuse of the shackle even with poor cleaning of the shackle after it has been disassembled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be seen as this specificiation proceeds. The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying'drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 isa fragmentary perspective view ofa cement kiln equipped with chains supported according to the instant invention; 7

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the inventive shackle seen in combination. with a chain and hanger; 1

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the inventive shackle complete with shackle pin and locking pin;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the shackle;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the shackle seen in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary elevational views such as would be seen along the side lines 66 and 7-7, respectively. as applied to FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the shackle pin employed in the FIG. 3 arrangement; and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the bent or deformed locking pin as is seen in FIG. 3 also.

In the illustration given and with reference firstto FIG. I, the numeral 10 designates generally the cylindrical side wall of a kiln. The kiln wall 10 is equipped with a plurality of hangers as at l1, l2, and 13 which are rigidly fixed thereon. It will be appreciated that a large number of hangers 11-13 are provided so that chains, as at 14 (relative to the hanger 11), can be connected thereto and about the entire inner circumference of the cylindrical kiln wall 10. Each chain (as at 14) is connected to its associated hanger (as at 11) by means of a shackle generally designated 15.

Theshackle 15, in enlarged form, can be seen in FIG.

2, and is seen to provide the connection between the hanger 11 and the end link 14a of the chain 14.

The hanger 11 is equipped in conventional fashion with an aperture or opening in which the shackle pin 16 is mounted. More particularly, the shackle 15 is a unitary, generally U-shaped body (see FIG. 4) having legs 17 and 18. Each leg 17 and 18 is enlarged in a direction perpendicular to the essential plane of the U shape (compare FIGS. 3 and 4). For example, the end of the leg 18 is enlarged as at 19 so as to permit the provision of an eye 20. As can be seen from FIG. 4, each leg 17 and 18 is provided with a cylindrical bore or eye 21 and 20 respectively so as to accommodate the receipt of the shackle pin 16. Thus, the shackle pin 16 extends through the axially aligned eyes 21 and 20, and the opening (not identified) in the hanger 11 in the fashion depicted in FIG. 2. j

The leg 18, in addition to being enlarged in a direction transverse to the essential plane of the U-shaped shackle, is also enlarged in that plane (compare legs 17 and 18 as shown in FIG. 4). The additionally-enlarged portion of the leg 18 is designated 22, and accommodates the provision of apair of slots 23 and 24 (see FIG.

The shackle pin 16 is equipped with a transverse or diam etral bore 25 (see FIG. 8) which. accommodates the receipt of a locking pin 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 9). Normally the locking pin 26 is straight and is inserted into the bore 25 extending th'erebeyond on both sides of the slots 23 and 24. Thus, as the shackle pin 16 is rotated, the locking pin 26 is bent or deformed from .its normally straight condition into that pictured in FIGS. 3 and 9. Reverse rotation of the shackle pin 16 results in the straightening of the locking pin 26 so as to permit removal of the locking pin 26 and disassembly of the shackle pin 16 from the shackle 15.

Although two slots 23 and 24 are advantageously provided inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that a single slot may also be used to advantage. For example, a clipped head rivet could serve the same functionas the locking pin 26 and only one end thereof would be bent.

In any event the slot 23 is generally C-shaped in transverse section see FIGS. 6 and 7. As such, the slot 23 includes side walls 27 and 28 which are seen to be radially outwardly convergent and with the wall 28 extending generally parallel to the axis 29 of the aligned eyes 20 and 21. For example, in the illustration given, and with respect to a 7/8 inch shackle, the distance between walls 27 and 28 in the portion depicted in FIG. 7 is 0.50 inch, with the axis 29 being located midway of that opening. In contrast, the distance between the walls 27 and 28 in the position depicted in FIG. 6 is 0.65 inch, with the distance between the wall 28 and the axis 29 being 0.25 inch. Thus, the wall 28 is slightly offset from the axis 29, and when the pin 26 is subject to reverse rotational forces (for straightening), this results in a slight reverse bend which compensates for some spring-back of the locking pin.

As can be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 3, the slot 24 is essentially reversely oriented relative to the slot 23. In other words, the straight or parallel wall 31, which is the counterpart of the wall 28, is uppermost rather than lowermost, with the wall 30 in the slot 24 corresponding to the wall 27 in the slot 23.

In the embodiment of the invention for which the dimensions have already been given, the overall height of the shackle is 5.56 inch, and the overall width between edges of the legs (as seen in H6. 4) is 2.87 inches. The opening between the legs is 1.12 inches and the width of the leg 17 is 0.75 inch, while that of the leg 18 is 1.0 inch. The depth of the slot 23 (and also of the slot 24) measured across the leg 18 as seen in FIG. 4 is 0.38 inch.

With the inventive construction, the locking pin 26 is given a maximum of protection notwithstanding the fact that the slots 23 and 24 communicate with the atmosphere. Further, there is ample room for insertion of the locking pin even with poor cleaning of the shackle in the cleaning room.

I claim: 7

l A shackle for a kiln chain comprising a U-shaped.

unitary body having a pair of legs with said legs being enlarged at the ends thereof and having axially aligned eyes'therein for the receipt of a shackle pin, a slot in one of the leg enlarged portions extending generally radially relative to the eye in said one leg portion and sponding walls in said slots oppositely disposed relative.

to said axis.

3. The shackle of claim 2 in which the side wall at an angle to said axis is offset therefrom, said offset being arranged to develop a slight reverse bend in a locking pin being returned to a straight configuration under a rotational force about said axis.

4. A kiln chain unit comprising a shackle adapted for engagement with a kiln hanger, said shackle comprising a U-shaped unitary body having a pair of legs with said legs being enlarged at the ends thereof and having axially aligned eyes therein for the receipt of a shackle pin, a slot in one of the leg enlarged portions extending generally radially relative to the eye therein and communicating with said eye, said slot being generally C-shaped in transverse section to communicate with the atmosphere and having radially outwardly convergent side walls, one of said side walls extending at an angle relative to the axis of said eyes, a shackle pin mounted in said aligned eyes and having a radially extending bore in one end thereof, a locking pin in said bore and extending into said slot whereby rotation of said shackle pin about said eye axis to urge said locking pin against the other of said side walls causes a given pin bend, said one side wall being offset from said axis whereby reverse rotation of said shackle pin urges said locking pin against said one side wall to develop a slight temporary reverse bend in said locking pin incident to straightening said locking pin for removal.

S. The structure of claim 4 in which said one leg is equipped with a second slot in its enlarged portion generally diametrically disposed relative to the firstmentioned slot, said second slot also having outwardly convergent side walls to provide walls corresponding to the side Walls in the first-mentioned slot but with corresponding walls in said slots oppositely disposed relative 

1. A shackle for a kiln chain comprising a U-shaped unitary body having a pair of legs with said legs being enlarged at the ends thereof and having axially aligned eyes therein for the receipt of a shackle pin, a slot in one of the leg enlarged portions extending generally radially relative to the eye in said one leg portion and communicating with said one leg eye, said slot being generally C-shaped in transverse section to communicate with the atmosphere and having radially outwardly convergent side walls, one of said side walls extending at an angle relative to the axis of said eyes.
 2. The shackle of claim 1 in which said one leg is equipped with a second slot in its enlarged portion generally diametrically disposed relative to the first-mentioned slot, said second slot also having outwardly convergent side walls to provide walls corresponding to the side walls in the first-mentioned slot but with corresponding walls in said slots oppositely disposed relative to said axis.
 3. The shackle of claim 2 in which the side wall at an angle to said axis is offset therefrom, said offset being arranged to develop a slight reverse bend in a locking pin being returned to a straight configuration under a rotational force about said axis.
 4. A kiln chain unit comprising a shackle adapted for engagement with a kiln hanger, said shackle comprising a U-shaped unitary body having a pair of legs with said legs being enlarged at the ends thereof and having axially aligned eyes therein for the receipt of a shackle pin, a slot in one of the leg enlarged portions extending generally radially relative to the eye therein and communicating with said eye, said slot being generally C-shaped in transverse section to communicate with the atmosphere and having radially outwardly convergent side walls, one of said side walls extending at an angle relative to the axis of said eyes, a shackle pin mounted in said aligned eyes and having a radially extending bore in one end thereof, a locking pin in said bore and extending into said slot whereby rotation of said shackle pin about said eye axis to urge said locking pin against the other of said side walls causes a given pin bend, said one side wall being offset from said axis whereby reverse rotation of said shackle pin urges said locking pin against said one side wall to develop a slight temporary reverse bend in said locking pin incident to straightening said locking pin for removal.
 5. The structure of claim 4 in which said one leg is equipped with a second slot in its enlarged portion generally diametrically disposed relative to the first-mentioned slot, said second slot also having outwardly convergent side walls to provide walls corresponding to the side walls in the first-mentioned slot but with corresponding walls in said slots oppositely disposed relative to said axis. 